~ the agony and ecstasy of a reading life

A Monday Buffet

I’m feeling rather lazy this fine holiday Monday. No, I take that back, I’m tired. I’ve been busy this weekend with cleaning house, making the final wardrobe switch from winter to summer, cleaning out a closet, and doing a little painting. And I finally dared to push the submit button on my library school application. I’ve been tinkering with my personal statement since the end of March. But there comes a point when you have to stop doing complete rewrites and tinkering and just let it go. So I did. I’ve sent off for my school transcripts and I have the recommendation letter stuff ready to give to the people who have graciously accepted the responsibility. It’s out of my hands. Now the waiting begins.

Speaking of library, along with cool speakers, my library also offers free classes. The People’s University they call it. Recently there was a class about the UN. Upcoming there are classes on Modern Art, Guantanamo Bay, and the state of current news media. The reason I am mentioning this is because I am considering taking the class “The Physics of Superheroes” which is being taught by the guy who wrote the book by the same name, Dr. James Kakalios, who, I just found out, teaches at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. The class is once a week for three weeks on Thursday nights. It starts rather early, 6:15. I usually don’t even get home from work until 5:30 or so. I could probably rearrange my work schedule and just start earlier on those class nights, but before I go to all the trouble, has anyone read the book and if so, would it be worth my time and effort to go to the class?

My entire long weekend hasn’t been all work. Half Price Books had a 20% off sale. My Bookman and I were like moths to a flame without the flame and the burnt wings. And we aren’t actually moths either. But, you know, metaphor. I feel as though I comported myself quite well, somehow managing to bring home only two books: Readings by Sven Birkerts and The Terror by Dan Simmons.

I have also finished several books which I will be telling you about over the course of the week. And I read this in the “Findings” section of the May Harper’s:

The United States Department of Agriculture gave preliminary approval for the large-scale cultivation in Kansas of a strain of genetically modified rice that contains human genes.

WTF? When do we get to call it cannibalism? Remember, Soylent Green is people, and so, apparently, is rice.

Sorry about that last bit there. I’ll bring it back around to books now with a fun little meme from Nick at Literary Compass: The Title Blending Meme. The rules are simple, blend two book titles together by using the last word of one title and the first word of the second title. You can blend the author names too. Here’s my contribution:

I’ve heard about that genetically modified rice, sounds weird. Also, I would like to own The Terror, I don’t normally buy hardcover. I found it for 50% off at Barnes & Noble this weekend but didn’t buy it and now I’m regretting it.

Another good luck on the library school application, I’m interested to see how it goes for you!

Thanks for the link to ‘Terror’ – I think I might check it out. I just finished a peculiar but beautiful book also looking at the search for the North West Passage (‘Do White Whales Sing at the Edge of the World?’ by Paul Wilson – I bought it at a charity shop based purely on the long title, but found it quite special!). Its strange the way books seem to step into your path at certain times.